Lamp-receptacle.



J. S. STEWART.

LAMP REOEPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1911.

1,016,718, 7 Patented Feb.6,1912.

i 1, v 513 How x521 COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPl-l CO.,WASIHNGTON. D. cv

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES S. STEWART, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO ANNIE STEWART, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LAMP-RECEPTACLE.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES S. STEWART, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, in the borough of Manhattan and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lamp-Receptacles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to lamp receptacles, and the like, and pertains particularly to that class of lamp receptacles which are mounted upon conductive-lead-inclosing moldings, conduits and the like.

As heretofore constructed devices of this character have been commonly made of porcelain or other fragile material, and comprise a base which is provided with certain metallic clips or parts secured thereto in various ways which are adapted to complete electrical connections to a threaded shell and to a central stud terminal for an incandescent lamp.

As usually constructed, the device is formed in two parts, the interior body carrying the shell and metal parts aforesaid, and a housing of porcelain or other insulating material which is apertured for the reception of the shell carrying base. In practice it frequently happens that this housing becomes cracked or broken by reason of its fragile nature, especially when the same is made of porcelain, which is the material commonly used on account of its cheapness. Rupture of the insulating part is apt to result in short circuit, and sometimes fires have occurred as a consequence thereof.

The particular object of this invention therefore is to provide a protecting cover or housing for the clip supporting body that shall not be subject to fracture, and that further shall be highly ornamental in appearance, which, obviously, in most cases a porcelain or other insulating-material hous ing, is not.

My invention further aims to facilitate the application of a lamp receptacle to molding by obviating the necessity for cutting the covering strip of the molding in exact lengths.

A further object of my invention is to reduce the liability of the said strips to split when the attaching screws or like devices are driven through the same.

These and other objects of my invention Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 27, 1911.

Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

Serial No. 611,053.

will be hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

I11 the drawings'which form a part hereof and in which like characters designate like parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of my improved lamp receptacle, a portion thereof being broken away to show the method of connecting the conductive leads to the device. Fig. 2 is a plan of the said receptacle; and Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line III-III of Fig. 1, viewed in the direction of the arrows.

The clip supporting body or block 1 may be substantially the same as that disclosed in my Patent No. 872,029, issued Nov. 26, 1907. This block carries conductive clips 2 and 3 which are each provided with a connecting screw 4, or other suitable device, to afford connection with the conductive leads 5, 6, 7 and 8, which extend through the molding 9.

The molding may be of any suitable material, preferably wood, to facilitate the application of the lamp receptacle thereto, and is grooved in the usual manner for the reception of the said leads. The block 1 carries the usual threaded shell 10, said shell and clip 2 being electrically connected as indicated in Fig. 3 while the central contact of the lamp is formed in a known manner by the screw 11 which is threaded into a portion of the clip 3. The housing 12 in this embodiment of my invention is preferably formed of metal such as brass, steel, or other suitable material, and any ornamental surface desired may be imparted to the exterior of the housing so that the same may be rendered highly attractive in appearance. An insulating sleeve 13 is interposed between the threaded shell and this housing so that short circuiting is rendered substantially impossible therebetween. This sleeve is preferably provided with a skirt 11 also of insulating material, which projects into the interior of the receptacle or housing, said skirt being interposed between the interior walls of the metallic housing and the contact making parts and exposed portions of the leads. By no possibility therefore can short circuiting result.

The housing may be of any desired configuration, but I prefer that shown in the exemplification illustrated in the drawings,

in which the body of said housing has some what the form of a truncated cone 12. The base of the housing preferably is flared into rectangular form and opposed sides of the rectangular bottom face thereof are flanged as at 14:, the flanges being of sufficient depth to permit their edges to abut against the upper face 15 of the molding. The extremities of these flanges, which form the corners of the aforesaid rectangular base, are bent or directed inwardly as at 16 to form lugs which are adapted to grasp the exposed portions of the edges 17 ofthe molding cover strips 18 so that in applying the housing these lugs or flanges will serve to center the same, while they serve the further purpose of preventing the extremities of the said cover from splitting when the fastening screws 19 are driven thereinto; or if the said strips should split slightly, they will prevent the split from spreading or gaping. The base of the housing is preferably provided with oppositely disposed ears 20, which are apertured for the reception of the screws 19; these ears being formed to en gage the upper surface of respective molding cover strips as indicated in Fig. 1. By reason of the construction shown, it is evident that but a single screw 19 upon either side of the device will serve to secure the housing to the molding or conduit, the same screws simultaneously serving to hold the molding cover strips in place upon said molding. This construction materially reduces the work of applying the lamp receptacle and cover strips to the molding. As

. there is no strain to speak of upon the insulating block 1, but a single screw 21 is needed therefor, the head of this screw being received in a centrally disposed recess 22 in one end of the said block.

A further advantage of the construction in question resides in the fact that by reason of the novel formation of my housing, the base of the same is adapted to cover the extremities of the cover strips 18 which abut against or are adjacent to the corresponding portions of the block 1. As usually constructed hereto-fore the housing was secured directly to the molding body and it has hence been necessary to cut the covering strips in exact lengths in order that the ends of the same should properly and neatly abut against the flanges or base of such housing; but in the present construction wherein the housing is so formed that while portionsof the same abut against the surface of the molding body, other flange like portions cover the extremities of the molding strips, and the latter may hence be cut roughly to length Without any attempt to nicely finish the so formed extremities thereof. I have indicated in Fig. 1 a space at 23 between one of the molding strips 18 andthe base of thesupporting block 1. T o summarize therefore, the advantages derived from constructing the housing in question in the manner described are :First, the rendering of the same substantially undestructible when subjected to normal usage; second, reducing the cost of manufacture; third, facilitating the provision of an inexpensive and yet highly ornamental surface thereupon; fourth, the obviation of the necessity for providing molding or conduit cover strips in exact lengths; fifth, the provision of centering means; sixth, facilitating the assembling of the device by reducing labor, and seventh, substantially preventing splitting of the cover strips when the securing screws, or the like, are driven therethrough; while eighth and finally, it will be observed that by reason of the engagement of the edges of flanges 14 with the face of the molding or conduit proper, while the cars 19 engage the molding or conduit cover, the housing may be very securely positioned and held thereupon, the several parts in each instance, being rigidly fastened together by two screws only.

When the conduit and its covers are of metal, there is of course no likelihood of splitting the ends of the cover strips in the manner above described but the provision of the conduit engaging flanges and screw-receiving ears provides, as in the case of the wood molding, a particularly efficacious means for locating and rigidly securing the housing upon the conduit.

While I have described an embodiment of my invention in which my novel housing forms a part of a lamp receptacle adapted to support a single lamp, I do not wish to be limited thereto, as the combination of elements presented in the appended claims is adapted for use in connection with many electrical appliances of an analogous character.

Having described my invention, what I claim, is:

1. In a lamp receptacle adapted to be porting base, conductive elements carried by i said base for placing a lamp carried by said base in circuit with the leads in said molding, a metal housing for said base, said housing comprising laterally project-ing ears, and flanges projecting substantially at right angles to said ears, and means for securing the. latter to the lead-covermg parts of said molding or conduit.

2. In a lamp receptacle adapted to be mounted upon a conductive-lead-inclosing molding having a cover strip, an insulating lamp-supporting base, conductive elements carried by said base for placing a lamp, when positioned thereupon, in circuit with the leads in said molding, a metal housing for said base, said housing being adapted to cover the end of a molding cover-strip, and

having means for substantially preventing duit, and laterally projecting attachment said end from splitting When the housing ears adapted to cover the ends of the moldis secured thereto. ing or conduit covers.

3. A lamp receptacle adapted to be m0unt- In Witness whereof, I subscribe my signa- 5 ed upon a covered molding, conduit (pr 1the ture, in the presence of two Witnesses.

like, comprising a meta ousing, an e ectrically conductive lamp-engaging parts JAMES STEWART therein, the base of said housing having op- Witnesses: positely disposed projections thereon adapt- WALDo M. CHAPIN, 10 ed to engage surfaces of said molding or con- WILLIAM C. LANG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). G. 

